4.26.2016

4 Things You Can Do Right Now to Create a Perfectly Organized Google Drive

Everyone organizes their Google Drive differently. Shockingly, many Google Apps users don’t organize them at all. I have found that, by using a few best practices, there is a system for making Google Drive much more organized and easier to navigate.

Proper folder structure, naming conventions, color coding, and keeping track of what is shared with you can go a long way when used properly. These 4 tips show the best way to organize your Google Drive for faster navigation so you never lose track of a document again.

1. Folder Structure Comes First

The best starting point is creating a clean universal folder structure. An easy way to do this is to create a folder for each category of document and then make subfolders for each aspect of that category. An “uncategorized” folder can house all the documents that don’t fit into any of the other folders yet. Scan through the “uncategorized” folder regularly and sort its contents into the appropriate labeled folders if possible.
Within each subfolder, it is a good practice to create folders that are dated by week to keep track of the dates each document is created, that way no folder becomes too full and difficult to sort through.
To create a folder click the red NEW button and then select the option for folder.
folder-structure

2. Add Some Color

Google Drive has an awesome feature that allows you to color code your folders, this can be done in such a way that makes sifting through your drive much faster.
I made each folder in my drive a different color and then each subfolder a different shade of that same color. The dated weekly folders within each subfolder are the same shade as the subfolder it is contained within. This way, if I am looking at a folder titled “April 6-12” I can instantly tell what types of documents are contained in it simply by glancing at its hue.
To change the color of a folder click the arrow to the right of the folder name on the top bar then select the change color option.
add-color

3. Standardize Your Naming Conventions

Date created is a mysteriously absent field in Google Drive, instead you can only view when a document was last updated. Finding a document by it’s creation date is sometimes useful and more intuitive, which should be considered when designing your naming convention.
We think it is best to name every document in the following way “[DateCreated] DocumentName” and then let the folder structure and color coding do the rest. For example a student loan payment receipt created on the 19th of April would be titled “[4.19] Student Loan Payment Receipt” this will be easy to find whether you are searching for the date or the title of the document.
To rename a document, highlight the documents name in Drive and then click the three vertical dots on the right side of the top bar. Then select rename.
standard-naming

4. Shared with you, organized by you

When a document is shared with you, it can be hard to locate because it is not automatically added to your My Drive folder. Make sure to add the file to the appropriate folder in your My Drive. If it does not adhere to your naming conventions, create a folder that fits the naming convention and add the shared file to that folder.
shared-with-you
To add a document that is shared with you to your My Drive, highlight the document in theShared with Me folder and then click the three vertical dots on the right side of the top bar and select Add to My Drive from the dropdown menu.

4.18.2016

Quizlet Live

Teachers--are you looking for a fun, engaging game for your classroom where students can learn from each other? That’s why we built Quizlet Live. It’s designed to bring fresh energy into classroom. Teams of students work together, racing to learn the material in a Quizlet study set. Correct answers move teams ahead, but wrong answers send teams back to zero. In order to win, students need to communicate with each other to make sure they pick correctly.

How Quizlet Live works
Teachers can launch Quizlet Live from any study sets and create a game in seconds (no accounts needed for your students). Just ask your students to type in quizlet.live on any device (computers, mobile phones, iPads etc) and enter the unique join code on your screen.

4.12.2016

3 Google Apps Tools You Didn’t Know You Could Use Offline

Whether you are on a plane, on the subway, or just trying to conserve data usage, there are plenty of times when you will find yourself unable to connect to the internet. This doesn’t mean your work needs to be immediately substituted for a new game of Angry Birds. Google provides plenty of tools that can be used while offline.

You can read and compose emails, view and edit Drive files, and even navigate to your next destination with Google maps, all while “off the grid.” I find these features essential during long commutes or in the off chance, in a power outage. These are three of my favorite offline Google Apps tools that you can use while disconnected. Additionally, the above video from The Apps Show highlights more offline tools that allow you to keep working, even when your internet is not.



1) How to Access Gmail Offline



2) Accessing Google Drive Offline


3) Navigate the world without navigating the web

























What happened to the good old days of big paper maps that you kept folded up in your glove compartment? Remember when no data plans or Wi-Fi were necessary to find your way? Well, as it turns out, those days are still here but the maps are folded up on your mobile device. Available for iOS and Android devices, the Offline Maps function allows you to navigate the world much easier. Losing Wi-Fi can happen when we least expect it, and when we lose it on our way somewhere, this feature is a saving grace.


Now you can load, download, and share a map before your journey begins and never risk the chance of losing your directions. With this setting you can save areas like your office and home, and adjust the settings to update those maps automatically. You can also save places temporarily before you step out the door. When you save places, other information becomes available too such as business hours and contact information for nearby places.

(From: www.thegooru.com)

4.06.2016

Nearpod

Learn how to use Nearpod to push content out onto student devices, including iPads, Android tablets, chromebooks, laptops, and more. You can send images, videos, quizzes, drawing activities, and more to student devices.

4.05.2016

Complete a PDF-based Assignment in Google Classroom

A how-to video for students- upon viewing, you will be able to annotate or edit a PDF you've been assigned in Google Classroom, and turn it in. *This video utilizes the Chrome app DocHub.